Cold Anniversary
by YamiKoi
Summary: OneShot!One cold night Yami is walking home from the hospital after seeing his mother and meets a young boy in need of help.No one else cares about the boy but a good deed goes a long way."If you could have one thing in the whole world,what would it be?"


Hey there, here's a one-shot that randomly appeared in my head this morning! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Yu-Gi-Oh! Just the plot idea!

**One-shot - A Cold Anniversary**

**18th**** December 2010 8.56pm**

The rhythmic clicking of shoes and gentle muttering surrounded the area in a crisp cold winters afternoon, snow fell from the sky sticking beautifully to the ground as well as people's hair and clothes covering the green grass in a blanket of frozen pure white snow. The trees groaned in complaint as the soft wind pushed the bare branches of the park forest and a harsh stinging cold hit the occupants each silently wishing they had remained at home for the day. One young eighteen year old male let out a soft moan as another gust of wind hit him his blonde bangs tickling his pale face; shuddering softly as he continued the long hour walk home to his house from Domino Hospital. He vaguely listened to a couple muttering holding the newspaper in their hand.

"Three years in a row the temperature in Domino City has been -4.9°C (23°F) on 18th December, you think it means anything?" One questioned softly.

"Don't be stupid it's just a coincidence." The other scoffed.

Yami Atemu sighed running his purple gloved fingers through his spiky black hair tipped with red with blonde spikes; deep crimson eyes surveying his surroundings as he walked through the snow covered paths of Domino City Park he tightened the black and purple striped scarf around his neck and attempted to cuddle further into his thick black coat slowly becoming damp due to the falling snow melting on the fake fur around the coats neck. The Domino City Park provided a large forest cutting fifteen minutes off his walk home from the hospital. Yami sighed flipping his phone open and looking at the wallpaper, an image of a thirty five year old woman with long blonde hair, blue eyes and a gentle smile; a small sad smile traced Yami's face as he looked down at his mother. He was walking home from visiting his mother at the hospital which she had been living in for the last six months and, from what he had been told, would not be there for much longer.

/Flashback/

_Yami hugged his mother smiling warmly as she lay in the hospital bed her usually bright colourful face now sickly pale, drained and weak barely able to lift her arms to hug her son. "I'll come back and see you again tomorrow, love you." Yami said._

"_Love you too." His mother replied with a gentle smile stroking her son's face. _

_Yami followed the doctor out of the room listening to the much elder grey haired man. _

"_I'm sorry to inform you Mr Atemu but from the recent tests there's nothing more we can do for your mother, the treatment isn't taking effect like we hoped. I think you should begin preparations for your mother's death." The doctor said softly resting his hand on Yami's shoulder. "I am truly sorry."_

_Yami bit his lip hard lowering his head his blonde bangs covering his eyes, "how long?" He asked. _

"_I can not be certain of course, but we estimate about a week." He replied. "Again, I am truly sorry, if there was anything else that could be done…."_

/Flashback End/

Yami forced the tears away that were forming in his eyes, he refused to cry in public. Yami took a deep breath and shook his head feet trudging in the deep snow as many others walked the same shortcut through the thick forest park in the hopes of returning home faster. Many more people littered the streets than usual due to the snowfall causing people to abandon their cars, trains and buses had stopped running and almost all the roads had been closed due to the ice and snow making it too dangerous to drive.

The crunching of the snow beneath Yami's feet seemed to amplify in his ears as he continued through the path of the forest with many others what little sun there was blocked by the arching trees. Yami trudged through the snow keeping his concentration on his thoughts in an attempt to block out the piercing cold. A sudden gasp pulled Yami out of his musings as a variety of people of all ages stood a few metres in front of him looking at something embedded so deeply in the thick snow it was barely visible whispering and pointing softly, others stopped glanced over before quickly moving on and a few didn't either bother to stop. Yami blinked in confusion vaguely wondering what the light commotion was about though he wasn't particularly interested, he had more pressing matters on his mind like his mother, that was until he saw the ball of snow twitch. Yami stopped a little shocked for a second before it moved again, Yami quickly increased his pace to a sprint racing forward toward the groups of muttering and pointing people finally able to gather what was before him.

Yami was taken aback, a young boy who looked no older then fifteen lay shaking in the cold cruel snow, he was covered in bruises and cuts some small and barely noticeable others so deep the boy had his hand attempting to cover one and stop the blood flow but the blood was freely pumping through his fingers from the wounds dyeing the pure white snow beneath to a sickly red. The young boy was wearing a pair of torn grey pants with a simple white t-shirt both stained in blood and no shoes. The boy slowly lifted his head and opened his large bright amethyst eyes, he weakly reached out to a young woman with his unoccupied hand who was closest to him grabbing the bottom of her coat.

"P-please, help m-m-me." He begged his lips blue from the cold and his voice cracking as his body began to give up.

The woman gasped and quickly pushed the boy's hand away a slightly taller man wrapping his arms around the woman pulling her away from the dying boy. Instinct instantly kicked in and Yami raced forward catching the boy's hand as it fell, his hands were so cold the feeling easily went through Yami's gloves and a stinging pain hit him. Yami quickly removed his coat wrapping it around the vulnerable injured boy trying to warm the slowly dying male.

"This boy needs to be taken somewhere safe and warm, please who lives closest? We need to get him to safety before he dies." Yami ordered quickly looking at the groups of people.

Everyone stayed silent either watching or simply walking away. Yami felt anger rise in his chest as he watched people continue to walk along ignoring the boy or stopping to point and mutter along with the others.

"What's wrong with you people?" Yami cried. "This boy's dying and you're just going to stand there and stare at him? He needs help! Someone help me with him!" Yami looked at each of the people but they were all still silent refusing to help the bitter cold hearts of the people around him only made Yami feel colder within himself. Yami wrapped his arms around the young boy lifting him into his arms tightly wrapping the coat around him holding him bridal style. "I hope you're all proud of yourselves." Yami hissed. "You don't deserve to be called human beings."

Yami quickly sprinted down the forest path clutching the shaking boy tightly in his arms. His first instinct had been to take the boy to the hospital but it was a forty minute run from the park and judging from the boy's temperature he wouldn't last that long in the cold, his house was only five minutes away so he decided to take the boy there. Yami glanced down the boy as he ran, he had hair similar to Yami's black spiky hair tipped with red and blonde bangs but he didn't have the blonde spikes in his hair and also had a single blonde bang much smaller than the rest touching his nose. Yami felt his heart wrench when he realised the boy's eyes had closed and he was completely unmoving now. 'Hold on Little One, I'll get you to safety.' Yami thought.

Finally getting to his house Yami quickly unlocked the door throwing it open and carrying the young boy into the living room lying him in front of the open fire. Yami lit the fire as fast as he could and turned all the heating in the house to max. Yami kneeled in front of the boy gently lifting him into his arms and lightly pressed two fingers on his neck searching for a pulse. "No….. no no no no!" Yami cried desperately continuing the search but being unsuccessful.

Yami snatched up the phone dialling the emergency number, "please be ok." He begged softly rubbing the boy's arms through the thick coat trying to warm the boy.

"Hello, emergency services how may I help?" A voice finally answered.

"Yes! I found a boy outside in the snow, I've brought him home but I can't find a pulse." Yami said quickly. "Could you send an ambulance as quickly as possible?"

"All our emergency services are currently unavailable due to the high call volume." They replied.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Yami cried. "This boy could be dead!"

"Calm down sir, now is he moving?" The person questioned.

"I just told you he doesn't-" Yami came to a sudden stop when the boy let out a soft moan and moved his head a little. "Yes, yes he's moving."

"Is he in need of any urgent medical attention?" They continued.

"He's badly hurt, he's bleeding." Yami replied curtly.

"But can these injuries be treated by yourself or do you require a doctor?" The questions continued.

Yami gently removed the coat from the boys body checking the cuts he had seen earlier, he was shocked to see that the cuts seemed to have partially healed though he could have sworn they were much worse earlier, some even bad enough to be releasing vast amounts of blood; Yami had been worried the boy would bleed to death. 'Maybe I was imagining it.' Yami thought; his fingers lightly ran over the coat, it was practically soaked in the boy's blood but Yami could no longer see any wounds bad enough to produce such amounts of blood.

"I…. I think I can take care of them myself." Yami answered. "But he's freezing cold, I'm afraid he might have hypothermia."

"Remove any wet clothes from his body and try and keep the boy as warm, if possible try and feed him any warm food or drinks to elevate his body temperature. Keep him close to any sources of warmth in the house, the important thing is to keep him warm and dry. Do not give him any alcohol as this will only make him worse, do not give him cold water as a drink, you'll only be making him worse. Try and dress him in clothes of wool and not cotton." The other replied.

"Alright, dry clothes wool clothes, warm food and drink and warm sources. No cotton, alcohol or cold water." Yami repeated quickly.

"I have to keep this line free for others, if his condition worsens call back immediately." The person replied.

Before Yami could say another word the line went dead, he gently lay the boy down and quickly moved around the house collecting what he needed. Returning Yami quickly but carefully stripped the boy of his wet shirt and pants and drying him with a towel then replacing it with a pair of black trousers and a wool sweater and a scarf. He leaned the young boy against him facing the open fireplace and placed a hot water bottle on his stomach and rubbing the boy's arms.

"Kid, can you hear me?" Yami questioned softly. The boy didn't move. Frowning worriedly Yami placed his fingers on the boy's neck again searching for a pulse but still not finding one, just as his own pulse began to increase at the thought of the boy being dead he let out another gentle moan and slowly opened his eyes tilting his head up to look at Yami. "Hey." Yami greeted with a soft smile as he picked up a towel and began drying the boy's hair. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes." The boy muttered softly in reply.

"Good, how do you feel?" Yami asked drying his hair in a gentle massaging motion.

"Cold….. tired…." He replied.

"Can you tell me your name?" Yami continued, he was trying to keep the small boy's focus and stop him from falling asleep.

"Yugi…. Mutou." The newly appointed boy replied.

"Well Yugi Mutou, you're safe now, so you don't have to worry." Yami assured him with a gentle smile. "My name is Yami Atemu."

Yugi watched Yami in complete silence for a second his face blank then turned back to the fire. Once the boy's hair was dry he picked up a cup full of warm milk.

"Yugi, do you think you could drink this?" Yami said hopefully.

The boy simply shook his head but Yami continued. "Please Yugi, it'll make you feel better." Yugi turned his head for a second then nodded. "Good." Yami gently poured the warm liquid down the boy's throat until it was half empty and the boy refused anymore.

"You're very kind." Yugi said softly tilting his head back to look at Yami properly.

"Well thank you." Yami replied with a gentle smile. The boy stared at Yami for a few seconds then returned the smile. "Yugi can you tell me where you live? Then I can take you home, so they know you're safe."

"My Grandpa….. Solomon….. Kame Game Shop." He muttered softly.

Yami quickly scribbled the man's name down on a piece of paper and the address, "the game shop on Rose Avenue?" Once again the boy nodded.

"But… I don't want to go there now, I'm too tired." He said softly.

"Of course, when you're feeling better." Yami replied softly.

Yami gently touched the young boy's hand, he was still frozen to the touch and didn't seem to be getting any warmer but he was certainly becoming more conscious. "Why don't we bandage up your cuts?" Yami suggested picking up a first aid kit.

Yugi tilted his head back again looking at him. "Cuts?" The boy asked.

"Yes, like on your….." Yami lifted the sleeve of the sweater and instantly froze. "Arm….." There were no cuts on the boy's arm like he had seen earlier. "What the…?" Yami lifted the shirt showing the boy's stomach but there were not cuts there either, only a few bruises remained a particularly bad black and yellow on his right cheek and others of various colours littered his body. Yami slowly put the first aid kit down and shook his head. "What's wrong with me today?" He muttered softly rubbing his eyes.

The young boy watched Yami his face remaining blank, he slowly moved onto his knees wrapping his arms around Yami's neck. "Thank you." He said softly.

Yami blinked in shock and hugged back, "you're welcome, but for what?" Yami questioned.

Yugi leaned back and smiled softly, "for taking care of me." He replied.

"Others would have done the same." Yami stated.

"No they wouldn't." Yugi replied looking at the ground.

Yami sighed remembering all those people that had pushed the boy away and showed no interest in helping Yugi. "Somebody else would." Yami sighed. 'I hope.' He added in his head.

"Can I…. lie down with you for a while, I'm still so tired and cold." Yugi begged softly.

"Of course," Yami replied with a warm smile, he pulled a blanket from the sofa and pulled Yugi close in front of the fire allowing the young boy to rest his head on his chest as they cuddled together for warmth.

"D…do you…" The young boy trailed off wrapping his arms tighter around Yami. "Do you care about me? Do you think I'm a good boy?"

Yami was a little thrown by the strange question but let out a gentle chuckle. "I think you're a wonderful boy, I care about you a lot." Yami assured him with a loving gentle smile.

"W…Will y-you be my f-friend?" Yugi continued nervously.

"I'd love to be your friend Yugi." Yami replied gently kissing Yugi's forehead.

Yugi wrapped his arms tightly around Yami and nuzzling his face into the taller man's chest. "Thank you." The boy cried softly wet tears hitting Yami's chest.

"Yugi…" Yami said softly. Yami pulled Yugi as close as possible rubbing his arms and repeatedly kissing the young boy's forehead. Yami was a little shocked to find Yugi was still as cold as he was when Yami had found him in the snow but the boy seemed healthy and happy enough so he decided not to comment.

They were silent for a while simply content with holding each other and enjoying the warmth and crackling of the fire. Yugi slowly sat up looking directly at Yami, "if you could have one thing in the whole world, what would it be?"

Yami raised his eyebrow, the boy certainly did ask some strange and random questions. "Anything in the world….." Yami gently stroked Yugi's cheek as he thought, 'I could have sworn he had a bruise on his cheek earlier.' Yami thought but simply brushed the thought off and spoke. "If I could have anything in the world it would be for my mother to get better, she's very ill and she's in the hospital. The doctor said she only has a week." Yami muttered sadly tears forming in his eyes.

Yugi's eyes softened and he moved onto his knees gently wrapping his arms around Yami and pulling him close resting Yami's head on his chest as the taller cried. Yami nuzzled his face into Yugi's unbelievably cold chest as they lay back down together. "I think we should go to sleep." Yugi said softly kissing Yami's forehead.

Yami didn't want to go to sleep, he was still worried about Yugi as he cried but something seemed to overcome him as he lay crying into Yugi's chest. The last thing Yami heard before he fell asleep was Yugi's soft voice. "Thank you Yami, for taking care of me."

Crimson eyes fluttered softly and Yami let out a soft moan pulling the blanket over his eyes. 'Why am I on the floor?' Yami thought. He lay silent trying to remember last nights events when it suddenly struck him, finding an injured boy and taking care of him. Crimson eyes snapped opened and he sat bolt right up. "Yugi!" Yami cried. His head shot around searching the living room but he couldn't see any sign of the boy. Yami threw off the blanket and searched his house but still no sign of Yugi. 'Did I dream it?' Yami thought. That idea was quickly dismissed when he saw the black trousers and sweater folded neatly by the fireplace along with a half empty cup of milk, a hot water bottle and a piece of paper. 'The address, Yugi told me where his grandfather lived, he probably went there.'

Yami quickly threw on some clean clothes and left the apartment sprinting down the street as fast as he legs could carry him, he had passed the Kame Game Shop many times but had never gone inside. Stopping in front of the building Yami let out a soft sigh and walked inside. The gentle ring of the bell above the door informed the occupant that someone had entered and an old man with grey spiky hair looked up and smiled softly from behind the counter. "Good day young man, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Actually, I was hoping you could get someone for me, you're Solomon Mutou right? I found a boy last night in the park, he said his name was Yugi Mutou and that you were his Grandfather. When I woke up this morning he wasn't there, I assume he came here." Yami replied walking toward the counter.

The man seemed shocked for a second then let out a soft sigh. "Is this some kind of joke?" He questioned with a frown. "Because if it is it isn't funny."

"N-no." Yami said quickly. "I'm telling the truth. I swear."

The old man watched Yami for a second and seemed to be searching his face for lies, when he found none he let out a shaky sigh and walked into the back of the shop returning with a photo frame and showing it to Yami. Yami looked at the image and smiled instantly recognising the boy's face and bright innocent eyes in the photo he was sitting at a table smiling softly at the camera.

"Yes, that's him." Yami said with a gentle smile. "Is he here?"

Solomon touched for the photo his eyes filling with sadness for a second and taking a deep breath before he spoke, "Yugi died three years ago." He stated simply placing the photo frame down.

"W-what? No it c-can't be. I was with him last night!" Yami cried.

"I don't know what to tell you young man, Yugi was found dead three years ago last night in Domino City Park, in the forest, 18th December 2007 at 8.56pm. He was attacked by a group of thugs who robbed him then beat and slashed him with knives." Solomon let out a soft sigh as the tears fell from his face. "The sad thing is that the doctor told me his injuries weren't that bad, he said that Yugi was alive for three hours lying there before he died, if someone had just stopped and took him to the hospital he would of lived…. but no one did, everyone walked passed him and didn't bother to help."

Yami touched his head, 'I don't understand…. I know I saw him, I remember him, he gave me Solomon's address…"

"I…. I'm sorry I brought up such memories for you. I don't know what's going on." Yami sighed rubbing his eyes.

"It's alright young man, even if it was just an dream or an illusion it's nice to know that you would have help my grandson. He would have liked you, my grandson didn't have any friends though he always wanted one. I'm sure the two of you would have been good friends." Solomon gently took Yami's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I wish there were more people like you in the world. If you do something nice for another something good will always happen in return."

Yami gave Solomon a gentle smile, the ringing of Yami's phone cut through the small silence. Yami quickly answered it. "Hello?"

"Hello is this Mr Atemu?" A voice asked.

"Yes, who may I ask is calling?" Yami questioned.

"This is Doctor Winsall from Domino Hospital, we need you to come to the hospital immediately." The doctor replied. "It's about your mother."

'Oh, Gods no.' Yami begged in his head. "Of course, I'll be right there." Yami answered quickly putting the phone down. "I'm sorry Mr Mutou I have to go."

"It's alright, take care young man." Solomon said with a gentle smile.

"You too." Yami replied quickly leaving the store and running to Domino Hospital as fast as his legs would carry him.

Yami clutched his chest panting desperately trying to catch his breath as he finally came to a stop in front of his mother's room where Doctor Winsall stood. "W-what happened? I-is s-she?" Yami started tears forming in his eyes.

"Please calm down Mr Atemu, it's not what you think." Doctor Winsall said softly. "It… It's a miracle."

"What are you talking about?" Yami asked.

"You're mother, she's better. We don't know what happened, the illness seems to have disappeared overnight." Doctor Winsall said with a soft smile.

"R-really? She's going to be ok?" Yami asked.

"She's going to be perfectly fine." He replied with a soft smile.

Yami threw open the door to his mother's room; the woman turned his head smiling brightly when she saw her son. "Yami! I'm so glad you're here!" She said, she was sitting up in bed, the colour had returned to her face and she threw her arms out. "Come and give your mother a hug."

Yami smiled brightly back darting forward and wrapping his arms around her happy tears rolling down his face. "Mother!" He gasped. "H-how-" A memory suddenly raced through Yami's head.

/Flashback/

_Yugi slowly sat up looking directly at Yami, "if you could have one thing in the whole world, what would it be?"_

_Yami raised his eyebrow, the boy certainly did ask some strange and random questions. "Anything in the world….. If I could have anything in the world it would be for my mother to get better, she's very ill and she's in the hospital. The doctor said she only has a week." Yami muttered sadly tears forming in his eyes. _

/Flashback End/

Yugi's last words repeated over in Yami's head '_Thank you Yami, for taking care of me. Thank you Yami, for taking care of me. Thank you Yami, for taking care of me. Thank you Yami, for taking care of me._' Yami smiled softly as he cried into his mother's shoulder. "Thank you, Yugi." Yami whispered softly.

**18****th**** December 2011 8.56pm**

Katsuya Jonouchi sighed as he walked through Domino City Park forest buried deep in thought shuddering as the cold night air filled his body and lungs. The radio of a passing person gained his attention for a little while, "and again for the fourth year in a row the temperature in Domino City on 18th December is -4.9°C (23°F), some people are saying it's a simple coincidence others…." the voice died away as Jonouchi continued walking through the forest. 'Damn it! If only I had the money for Shizuka's operation… I'm sorry sis… if there was something I could do.' Jonouchi thought digging his nails into the palm of his hand. Jonouchi glanced up noticing a small number of people had gathered around the side of the snow covered footpath.

"What the…." Jonouchi muttered, he quickly jogged forward freezing for a second when a young boy lying in the snow shaking uncontrollably. The boy slowly lifted his head bright amethyst meeting gentle honey as he slowly lifted his hand.

"P-please, help m-m-me." He begged.

Jonouchi caught his hand and fell to his knees wrapping his coat around the young boy. "It's alright man, I've got ya." Jonouchi said softly….

End

What do you think? Completely random inspiration I don't know where it came from!

Read and Review Please!


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